Ron Eckerman

Ron Eckerman was an early pioneer in the rock concert industry. In 1973 he began staging concerts and created one of the early concert lighting/touring production companies, Clearlight Enterprises. In 1976, he took on the challenge of managing Lynyrd Skynyrd, and witnessed and participated in their meteoric rise to fame and worldwide acclaim. After a sequence of events that resulted in a plane crash in October of 1977 and the loss of four friends, Ron carried guilt with him his entire life for the tragic plane crash that put an end to the original Lynyrd Skynyrd. After recovering from the plane crash, he went on to produce in television, film, and stage, and taught theater and artist management at Santa Monica College. In 2013, Ron decided to begin managing bands again, The Hounds of Jezebel and the Young Brothers. Ron was also preparing for a multi-city book tour when he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in May. He was treated at MD Anderson in Houston and underwent chemo for one year, and unfortunately lost his battle on May 11, 2014. It was one of his final wishes to have this book re-released and photos added and a cover change, and to have all profits donated to the Leukemia Foundation of Texas. "The Last Tour: Love, Laughter, and Tears" was released in November of 2014 by his wife and caregiver, about his courageous battle against leukemia. He never gave up hope and he never stopped smiling. It is a heartfelt testament of what a couple endures when they know they have a limited amount of time left together. It is available on Amazon as a paperback as well as Kindle. "The Last Tour: Love, Laughter, and Tears" by Carolyn Day